Image from page 115 of "Harper's New York and Erie rail-road guide book : containing a description of the scenery, rivers, towns, villages, and most important works on the road ; with one hundred and thirty-six engravings by Lossing and Barritt, from orig

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Text Appearing Before Image:dullcovert. But this same section acts as a whet to our keencuriosity for what is beyond; and it is first gratified byour arrival at the famous Cascade Bridge (from New York 188^ miles, fromDunkirk 271^ miles). This stupendous wooden structureconsists of a single arch, 250 feet in Avidth, thrown over a ravine 184 feet in depth. The span ofthe arch has a riseof 50 feet, and webelieve far surpass-es in width any oth-er in the world con-structed of timber.This ravine is verynarrow, and is ap-proached and cross-ed so rapidly that aperson in the carscan form no idea of the bridge itself, though we can seethe gulf, and judge of its depth by a glance at the topsof the pines, descending, row by row, to the rocky, thread-like stream at the bottom of its gloomy jaws. To judgeof the bridge and the gulf properly, it must be exploredleisurely, and a day can easily be consumed in examiningboth from their various points of view. Descending theeast side by a path supplied with a secure balustrade in

Text Appearing After Image:108 GUIDE-BOOK OF THE the shape of stout saplings, we come to the bottom of thegulf, and see this wonderful structure, as it were, suspend-ed in the air above us, so airily, with all its strength,seems its graceful arch to span the chasm. The traincrossing it now looks like a toy-cart, and the laborers atwork on the west side are dwindled to mere atoms. Fol-lowing up the stream, we stand immediately under its arch, and can well see thehuge ribs, joints, and sin-ews that form its powerfulanatomy. This is the bestpoint of view whence tocomprehend the strengthand beauty of the work.Instead of resting uponfrail piers erected by thehand of man, each leg ofthe arch is supported onand in deep shelves hewninto the solid rock, that ris-es wall-like on both sidesof the chasm ; and whilethese eternal foundations stand, so will the bridge. Itsarch is made of eight ribs of white oak, two feet squarein the center, and two feet by four at the abutments.These are interlaced with wood and iron braces

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